Zurich Airport to Lucerne, Interlaken or Zermatt by train

Prices last checked: 27 October 2026 · Fares and times from the SBB timetable and ticket shop

Short answer: the station is right under the airport. Lucerne takes about 1 h 2 min – 1 h 12 min (CHF 31 one way in 2nd class), Interlaken Ost about 2 h 10 min – 2 h 20 min (CHF 77), and Zermatt about 3 h 25 min – 3 h 40 min (CHF 134). The Swiss Travel Pass covers all three; the Half Fare Card halves them. Before 12 December 2026, allow extra time to Interlaken Ost because of track works.

Fares from Zürich Flughafen (one way, adult)

Flexible point-to-point tickets (valid on any train that day) quoted by the SBB ticket shop for a sample date of 10 Nov 2026. Supersaver tickets and Saver Day Passes can be much cheaper; see our sampled saver prices.
To	2nd class	2nd, Half Fare	1st class	1st, Half Fare	Swiss Travel Pass
Lucerne (Luzern)	CHF 31	CHF 15.50	CHF 53	CHF 26.50	included
Interlaken Ost	CHF 77	CHF 38.50	CHF 131	CHF 65.50	included
Zermatt	CHF 134	CHF 67	CHF 229	CHF 114.50	included

Journey times and changes

We searched the SBB timetable for a normal weekday after the December timetable change (Tuesday 15 December 2026), between 06:30 and 19:30. The pattern repeats through the day, but check your exact train.

To	Typical time	Changes	Route
Lucerne	1 h 2 min – 1 h 12 min	0 or 1	A direct InterRegio leaves at xx:39 (1 h 12 min). The xx:49 InterCity with a change at Zürich HB is a few minutes faster.
Interlaken Ost	2 h 9 min – 2 h 20 min	0 to 2	Mostly with one change in Bern. Some direct InterCity trains leave at xx:46 (we found them at 06:46, 14:46 and 18:46).
Zermatt	3 h 25 min – 3 h 40 min	1 to 3	Fastest: InterCity at xx:46 through the Lötschberg base tunnel to Visp, then the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn to Zermatt (one change; we found it at 09:46, 13:46 and 14:46). Other trains add a change in Bern.

Track works to know about

Interlaken, until 12 December 2026: the line between Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost is closed for renewal. Trains end at Interlaken West and replacement buses continue to Interlaken Ost. In the SBB timetable for 1 December 2026, the 09:09 from the airport reached Interlaken Ost at 11:34 by bus instead of 11:28 by train, with an extra change.
Interlaken, 30 March – 15 May 2027: BLS plans rail replacement between Spiez and Interlaken Ost. Expect buses for the last part of the trip.
The online timetable already includes these changes, so search your actual date.

Which ticket for arrival day?

Swiss Travel Pass: the transfer is included, and day 1 of a consecutive pass can be your arrival day. Buy it before you board, because the validity starts on the first day you choose.
Swiss Travel Pass Flex: a long transfer such as Zermatt (CHF 134) is a good use of a Flex day. Lucerne (CHF 31) usually is not; buy a ticket instead and save the Flex day.
Swiss Half Fare Card (CHF 150): the airport transfer costs CHF 15.50, CHF 38.50 or CHF 67. The card does not pay for itself on the transfer alone (even a Zermatt return saves CHF 134, less than the card), but it often does over a whole trip.
Only the transfer and little else: a Supersaver ticket on a fixed train is usually the cheapest. You lose flexibility if your flight is late.

Enter your full trip in the calculator (the airport routes are in the route list), or read Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card, where most sample trips start at Zurich Airport.

Luggage tips for arrival day

At the airport: the SBB Travel Centre is beneath Airport Shopping, in the Check-in 3 area. The ticket counter and the luggage office are open daily 06:30–21:00. Lockers are always open.
Send your cases ahead the same day: from 1 October to 15 December 2026, Swiss Travel Pass holders can hand in luggage at the SBB counter at Zurich Airport by 11:30 and have it delivered the same day to hotels in Andermatt, Interlaken, Lucerne, St. Moritz and Zurich. It costs from CHF 52 per item after a CHF 20 discount per pass (CHF 12 per extra item, up to 4 items), with no advance booking. More periods are planned for 2027. All the options are in our SBB luggage service guide.
On the train: SBB says the best place for big cases is between and under the seats, where you can see them. On double-deck trains there are luggage racks at the top of the stairs to the upper deck, and family coaches have multi-purpose areas on the lower deck. The overhead racks are for small bags.
Pick a quiet coach: in the SBB timetable, open "Show train information" to see which coaches are forecast to be emptiest, and wait at that part of the platform.
Zermatt is car-free. The train goes all the way into the village, so you need no taxi or shuttle for the last part of the trip.

Sources

Every price and rule above was checked against these official pages on 2026-10-27. If something has changed, the operator's page is right and we are wrong. Please tell us.